Safety-belt.



G. L. DENNERLINB.

SAFETY BELT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1909.

Patented July 13, 1909.

v M H e u n 3 flNiiFii) STATES GEORGE L. DENNERLINE, OF AURORA, INDIANA.

SAFETY-BELT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application filed January 12, 1909. Serial No. 471,959.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen L. DnNNEn- LINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Dear-born and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Belts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in safety belts of that type designed to be worn under the clothing and adapted to contain money, j ewels or other similar valuables, and the invention has for its object an improved device of this character which embodies one or more receptacles for carrying the valuables and which also includes an improved clasp that connects together the ends of the belt to secure the same in position and that also serves to normally maintain the receptacle closed to prevent the possible abstraction of the valuables therefrom, the clasp being quite difficult to manipulate, so as to render neces sary the disturbing of, the wearer, and thus insure against the surreptitious removal of the belt in event of the wearer being asleep.

l/Vith this and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain con structions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe, and then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan viewof a safety belt constructed in accordance with my inven tion; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, showing one of the receptacles and the clasp therefor; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the clasps opened; Fig. 4 is a erspective view of one of the re ceptacles; ig. 5 is a transverse section thereof; and, Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of the inner wall of one of the receptacles.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all of the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved device consists essentially of a metallic belt 1 which is of any length according to the size of the waist of the wearer and which, in the present instance, is in the form of a chain composed of substantially Hat links so as to conform more readily to the lines of the body and cause the wearer no discomfort.

The chain is equipped with any number of treasure boxes 2, according as found most desirable in practice, although in the present instance, I have illustratml only two of such boxes to the opposite ends of which the extremities of the chain belt are permanently affixed in any approved manner. These boxes are constructed of metal such as sheet steel, and may be of any desired shape or design, although they are preferably relatively thin, as shown, and have their various faces of substantially rectangular form. The opposing ends of the boxes are provided with. outstanding ears 3 that are transversely slotted as indicated at 3, while the inner walls of the boxes, that is, the walls adjacent to the body, are broken away to form openings 4 to afford access to the interior of the res )ective boxes and permit the valuables to be inserted therein or withdrawn therefrom. These openings lead from the inner ends of the boxes, and terminate short ofthe opposite ends thereof, the openings also extending entirely between the side walls of the boxes that are formed with outstanding llangcs 5 which are arranged for engagement with the returned longitudinal edges 6 of plates 7 to slidingly and detachably connect the same to the respective boxes. These plates normally extend over the respective openings 4 to completely close the boxes, and the plates are of such length that when in such position, they project longitudinally beyond the adjacent ends of the boxes, best seen in Fig. 3, the projecting portions of the plates being formed with transverse slots 8 adapted for registry with the slots 3 of the ears.

interposed between the boxes 1?, are two clasps 9, there being one clasp for each box, and the clasps being substantially duplicate in structure, as will be readily observed by reference to the drawing; Each of these clasps consists of two leaves or members 10 and 11, which are hingedly connected together by a transversely disposed pintle 12 and one of which, designated 11, is rela tively shorter than the other. The shorter lea-f 11 is designed to be passed through the corresponding registering slots 3" and 8, and the free end of such leaf is then swung toward. 1 the longer leaf 10 and is designed to be held 'llO thereto with the connected ends of the leaves and the pintle 12 positioned in the registering slots to prevent any movement of the closing plate 7 relative to the box. As the preferred means for detachably holding the shorter leaf 11 against the other leaf to close the clasp, I employ a collar 13 that encircles the latter leaf and is mounted for longitudinal movement thereon, said collar being adapted to be slid toward the adjacent box to engage the free end of the leaf 11 that is slightly reduced in thickness, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The two clamps just described are hingedly connected together through the instrumentality of a link 14 through which pass the returned adjacent ends of the leaves or members 10, the said returned ends being located at the opposite faces of the leaves 10 from those against which the leaves 11 are arranged to lie when in closed position, and the longitudinal distance between the extremity of the returned portion and the free end of the leaf 11 being less than the length of the collar 13, for a purpose to be presently disclosed.

In the practical use of my improved safety belt, the same is applied to the waist of the wearer and is held in position thereon by means of the two clasps 9 which are engaged with the respective boxes 2 and also serve to maintain the boxes securely closed to retain the valuables therein. Should occasion demand the removal of the valuables from one of the boxes, or the opening of such box for any other purpose, it will be readily apparent that in order to effect such opening it is necessary to release the shorter leaf or member 11 of the corresponding clasp 9 before the clasp may be disengaged from the registering slots 3 and 8 to unlock the plate 7. The corresponding collar 13 is therefore slid longitudinally'on the longer member 10 and toward the link 14, but inasmuch as the distance between the swinging end of the leaf 11 and the returned end 15 is less than the length of the collar, and since the returned end is too thick to permit the collar to be moved thereon, such returned end limits the desired movement of the collar and prevents the ready release of the member 11. It therefore becomes necessary to move the collar some distance on the leaf 10, with a portion of the former wedged in between the latter and the corresponding returned end 15, and since this requires considerable manipulation, it will be obvious that the detachment of the belt could not be effected without awakening the wearer, in case he was asleep. The release of the leaf 11 admits of the clasp being quickly disengaged from the slots 3 and 8 to disconnect the opposite ends of the belt to admit of the latter being removed from position, and also simultaneously unlocks the plate 7 so that the latter may be slid longitudinally of the box to afford access to the interior thereof. The belt is returned to position by reversing the operation just described.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved belt, the parts of which are constructed entirely of metal so as to preclude the possibility of the belt being cut to remove the same from the wearer in an attempt to steal the valuables; which is provided with several treasure boxes that, in the normal position of the belt, are maintained securely closed and that may be quickly opened by the wearer when desired; which may be worn beneath the clothing and during both the day and night without subjecting the wearer to discomfort or inconvenience and which possesses certain other advantages that will further recommend the belt to those using such articles.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination of a belt, a receptacle disposed thereon and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, and means carried by the belt and engaging both the receptacle and the closure to secure the latter over the opening.

2. The combination of a belt, a receptacle for valuables disposed thereon, means independent of the belt for closing the receptacle and means carried by the belt for engaging both the receptacle and the closing means.

3. The combination of a belt, a receptacle disposed thereon and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, and a clasp carried by the belt and detachably engaging both the receptacle and the closure to secure the latter over the opening.

4. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured at one end thereof and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, the closure and the receptacle being formed with slots adapted to register, and means carried at the opposite end of the belt for engaging the registering slots.

5. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured thereto and formed with an opening and with an outstanding ear, a closure for the opening, arranged to overlap the ear, and a clasp carried by the belt and adapted to be engaged with both the ear and closure to secure the latter to the receptacle.

6. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured thereto and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, a clasp carried by the belt and comprising a leaf, and a second leaf pivotally connected at one end to the first named leaf and adapted to be passed into engagement with both the closure and the receptacle, and means for connecting the free end of the last named leaf to the first named leaf to maintain the clasp closed.

7. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured thereto and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, a clasp carried by the belt and comprising two leaves or mem bers, one relatively shorter than the other and pivotally connected at one end. thereto, the shorter member being adapted to be passed into engagement with both the re ceptacle and the closure and swung against the other member, and means for connecting the free end of the shorter member to the longer member to maintain the clasp closed.

8. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured thereto and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, a clasp carried by the belt and comprising two leaves or members, one relatively shorter than the other and pivotally connected thereto, the shorter member being adapted to be passed into engagement with both the closure and the receptacle and then swung against the other member, a collar slidingly mounted upon the longer member and adapted to engage the free end of the shorter member.

9. The combination of a belt, a receptacle secured thereto and formed with an opening, a closure for the opening, a clasp carried by the belt and comprising two leaves or memhere, one relatively shorter than the other and pivotally connected at one end thereto, the longer member being returned upon itself at its opposite end, and the shorter member being adapted to be passed into engagement with both the receptacle and the closure and swung back against the longer member, and a collar mounted on the longer member and adapted to engage the free end of the shorter member, the free end of the shorter member bein relatively thinner than the returned end and being spaced therefrom in closed position, less than the length of the collar.

10. The combination of a belt, receptacles secured to the ends thereof and formed with openings, closures for the openings, clasps interposed between the receptacles and hingedly connected together, each clasp consisting of two members or leaves hingedly connected together and adapted to be passed into engagement with both the receptacle and the closure therefor, and means for holding the clasps in such engagement.

1 1. The combination of a belt, a receptacle connected thereto and formed with an 0 ening, means for closing the opening, a c asp carried by the belt and embodying hinged leaves arranged to be engaged with both the receptacle and the closure therefor.

12. The combination of a belt, a receptacle carried thereby and provided with an opening, means for closing the opening, said closing means being arranged for sliding connec tion with the receptacle, and means dis )osed on the belt for engaging both the closing means and the receptacle to secure the former to the latter.

13. The combination of a belt, a receptacle carried thereby and provided with an opening, means for closing the o ening, said closing means having a detac iable connection with the receptacle and means disposed on the belt for engaging both the closing means and the receptacle to secure the former over the opening.

14. The combination of a belt, a receptacle disposed thereon and provided with an opening, a plate for closing the opening and means carried by the belt for engaging both the receptacle and the plate.

15. The combination of a belt, means for detachably connecting the ends thereof, a receptacle carried by the belt, a closure for the receptacle, the said connecting means engaging both the receptacle and the closure to secure the latter over the opening.

16. The combination of a belt, receptacles secured thereto, closures for the receptacles and a detachable connection between the receptacles, said connection engaging the closures to maintain the same in operative rela tion to the respective receptacles.

1.7. The combination of a belt, receptacles secured thereto, closures for the receptacles, and a detachable connection between the receptacles, said connection embodying clasps adapted for engagement with the respective receptacles and the closures thereof.

In testimony whereof I afl ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE L. miNNiiimNii. s]

\Vitnesses:

WILLIAM S. ITOLMAN, LLEWELLYN E. DAVIES. 

